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A. SHARP.

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No. 415,740. Patented Nov. 26. 1889.

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VELOGIPEDE. No. 415,740. Patented Nov. 26, 1889.

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PatentedNov. 26, 1889.

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UNITED STATES PAT NT OFFICE.

ARCHIBALD SHARP, OF LONDON, COUNTY OF MIDDLFSEX, ENGLAND.

VELOCIPEDE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 415,740, dated November 26, 1889.

Application filed April 13, 1889. Serial No. 307,112. (No model.) Patented in England September 10, 1888, No. 13,043.

T0 at whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ARCHIBALD SHARP, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, residing at London, in the county of Middlesex, England, have invented certain Improve ments in Velocipedes, (for which I have obtained a patent in Great Britain, No. 13,043, bearing date- September 10, 1888,) of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in the frames of velocipedes; and the objects of my improvement are, first, to convert the frames of velocipedes into trusses, so that all the members of the said frames are either in direct tension or compression; secondly, to therebystrengthen the said frames and at the same time reduce the weight thereof, and, thirdly, to generally increase the efficiency of these machines. I attain these objects by constructing the frames of velocipedes as illustrated in the accompanying drawings,in which- Figure 1, Sheet No. 1, is a side elevation, and Fig. 2, Sheet No. 1, a plan, of a frontdriving bicycle. Fig. 3, Sheet No. 1, is a side elevation of a rear-driving bicycle. Figs. 4 and 5, Sheet No. 1, are a side elevation and plan, respectively, of a single rear-driving tricycle. Figs. 6 and '7, Sheet No. 2, are side elevation and plan, respectively, of a modification of a single rear-driving tricycle. Fig. 8, Sheet No. 2, is a View of a double-driving tricycle; and Figs. 9 and 10, Sheet No. 3, are views in elevation of tricycles for two riders. All these machines are fitted with frames constructed according to my invention. Figs. 11, 11, and 12 are views in broken sectional elevation and plan, respectively, showing the construction of the steering hinge or joint.

Throughout these several views similar parts are marked with like letters of reference.

The frame consists, essentially, of two parts,

hereinafter called half-frames. Each halfframe in the case of a bicycle, as illustrated by Figs. 1 to 3, Sheet No. 1, of the accompanying drawings, supports one wheel, and in the case of a tricycle, as illustrated by Figs. 4 to 10, Sheets Nos. 1, 2, and 3, of the accompanying drawings, one half-frame supports one wheel and the other half-frame supports an axle with a wheel at each end. This axle may carry the wheels and revolve in bearmgs carried by the half-frame; or the axle may be fixed to the half-frame and the wheels revolve upon it. Each half-frame is made up of five members a, Z), Z), c, and c, which, together with the axle mof the wheel or wheels, are arranged similarly to the six edges of an irregular tetrahedron or triangular pyramid. The member a is placed vertically or approximately vertically opposite and at right angles to the axle 0c of the wheel or wheels, and the members I) b and c 0' run from the opposite ends of the member a to the ends of the axle w, as illustrated, thus forming a on an enlarged scale by Figs. 11, 11, and 1:2,

Sheet No. 4, of the accompanying drawings.) In the ends of the tubular member a are placed cones a a the latter being adapted to be adjusted with respect to the said tube. These cones form centers for a spindle A, the ends of which are coned to adapt it to fit'in the cones a a At or near to each end of the other tubular member a are formed or fixed two arms A A, adapted to support and carry the coned spindle A, suitable slots a a being cut or formed in the tubular member a, carrying the coned centers, for the purpose of allowing the arms A A to pass therein and oscillate for the purpose of steering.

The pillar B for the saddle B is mounted in the member a of one of the half-frames, and the pillar C for the handle bar 0 is mount-ed in the member a of the other halfframe, the steering of the velocipede being effected by the relative movement of the two half frames. The crank axle D, with its crank and chain-wheel, is mounted in bearings carried by the lower end of the member a of the half -frame carrying the driving wheel or wheels.

By making the seat-pillar and handle-bar drawings.

of the velocipede of the same or approiimately the same height the saddle and handlebar may be made to interchange places, thus making thevelocipede convertible from rear driving to front driving, or vice versa. hen the velocipede is used as a rear driver, a spring or springs may be introduced between the frames, if necessary, to assist in keeping the machine running in a straight line. In velocipedes having a pair of driving wheels behind and a single steeringwheel in front, as shown by Figs. 8 to 10, Sheets Nos. 2 and 3, of the accompanying drawings, the upper ends of the members I) Z) and c c are each united to form one member, as illustrated, in order to give more room for the legs of the rider. In a velocipede made with a pair of driving-wheels, whether rear driving or front driving, in order that the bending movement on the wheel-axle 51:, due to the tension of the driving-chain, may be reduced to a minimum,'I support the axle w by a third bearing near to the chain-wheel and carried by another member or tube 0 joining the members 0 and c, where they converge to form one member, as illustrated by Fig. 8, Sheet No. 2, of the accompanying If the chain-wheel be placed exactly in the middle of the crank-axle-that is, between the axle-bearings-the member a may be in duplicate. In velocipedes for two riders the half-frame carrying the driving-wheels is prolonged to get the necessary distance between the riders by using another vertical member a, braced to the other memf ber a by longitudinal and diagonal members or bars e e, &c., as illustrated by Figs. 9 and 10, Sheet No. 3, of the accompanying draw ings.

Those parts of the velocipede to which no special reference has been made, or which WVhat I do claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a velocipede the wheels of which are carried by two half-frames, each consisting of five members a, b, b, c, and c, forming an irregular tetrahedron, joining the said two frames together to form a steering-hinge by means of the vertical spindle A, carried by one of the members a, and the cones a a carried by the other member a, as set forth.

2. In a velocipede, the combination, with the two half-frames, each consisting of five members a, l), l), c, and c, of the seat-pillar B and the handlebar pillar 0,-adapted to be interchanged, as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a velocipede, the combination of the half-frames. each consisting of the members a, Z), Z), c, and c, the arms or brackets A A on the member a of the one half-frame and carrying the center spindle A, and the cones a a mounted in the member a of the other half-frame, substantially as set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ARCHIBALD SHARP.

\Vitnesses:

WALTER J. SKERTEN, W. JNo. Wool), Both of 17 GracechurclrStreet, London, E. O. 

